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FIRST CLEAN THE SHELL, THEN FIT ALL COMPONENTS, LIGHTS, GLASS,
DOORS, BONNET, ENGINE COVER, FIN, ETC TO ENSURES EVERYTHING WILL FIT
CORRECTLY ONCE THE PAINT IS APPLIED, TRY TO DO AS MUCH
PRE-DRILLING AS POSSIBLE AND GET THE FUEL FILLER & PETROL FLAP ON (DON'T
WORRY IF THE FUEL FLAP TAKES ABOUT 2 WEEKS TO GET RIGHT . . IT'S A SWINE) ONCE IT'S RIGHT
YOU CAN THEN START TO REMOVE EVERYTHING FOR PAINTING. IT'S A BIT OF A PAIN
BUT WELL WORTH THE EFFORT IN THE LONG RUN AS YOU CAN FULLY PAINT THE SHELL INSIDE AND
OUT WITH MINIMUM RISK OF DAMAGING THE PAINTWORK WHEN YOU COME TO RE-FIT THE
PARTS. ONE
THING TO KEEP IN MIND ARE THE GAPS AROUND ALL OPENING EDGES ESPECIALLY DOORS AND
BONNET, YOU MUST ALLOW FOR THE PAINT THICKNESS OTHERWISE YOUR IN TROUBLE AND
THE MOMENT YOU LIFT THE BONNET FOR EXAMPLE ALL THE HINGED EDGE PAINT WILL BE
DAMAGED. . . |
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GETTING THE PETROL CAP TO SIT AS LOW AS POSSIBLE ON THE FILLER NECK WILL MAKE
LIFE MUCH EASIER WHEN YOU COME TO FIT THE FUEL FLAP. ONCE YOU GET THIS IN THE
RIGHT PLACE SECURE THE FILLER NECK AND FILL ANY GAPS ROUND THE NECK WITH FIBRE
GLASS RESIN. YOU CAN THEN REMOVE THE FUEL TANK AND USING MASKING TAPE BLANK OFF
EACH END OF THE FILLER PIPE TO AVOID GETTING OVER-SPRAY INSIDE. |
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INSIDE VIEW SHOWING SUPPORT FOR STEERING
COLUMN NOTE THE DOORS HAVE ALL BEEN FITTED OUT WITH GLASS, ELECTRIC WINDOW
MOTORS ETC. THESE CAN ALL STAY IN PLACE PROVIDING THE DOOR IS WELL MASKED
OFF WITH TAPE TO PREVENT OVER-SPRAY ON WINDOWS. WORTH MENTIONING THE CRUCIAL
EQUIPMENT TO THE LEFT, SEE THAT WHITE BUCKET ? THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT IF YOU
WANT SOMEWHERE TO SIT WHEN YOU DRINK YOU COFFEE AND PRETEND YOUR DRIVING
YOUR COVIN . . . . . "COME ON"...WE'VE ALL DONE IT.....BE HONEST. |
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ENSURE THE DOOR ALIGNMENT IS CORRECT AND FIT
THE DOOR HANDLES. IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO TRY ON THE DOOR SEAL RUBBER THEN CHECK
FOR GAPS WHEN THE DOOR IS SHUT, ESPECIALLY ROUND THE WINDOW FRAME, THERE
WILL BE A SMALL GAP TOWARDS THE REAR OF THE DOOR AND POSSIBLY AT THE BOTTOM,
DON'T WORRY AS THIS WILL BE TAKEN UP BY THE INTERIOR PANEL |
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ANOTHER VIEW OF THE DOOR ALIGNMENT. AN
IMPORTANT NOTE HERE IS THE GAP WHERE THE RUBBER WINDOW SEAL FITS ALONG THE
TOP LENGTH OF THE DOOR NEAR THE QUARTER
WINDOW, THIS WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY REQUIRE OPENING OUT AS IT WILL BE VERY TIGHT
AND IF IT IS OVERLOOKED BEFORE THE DOORS ARE PAINTED YOUR IN TROUBLE AND
COULD RISK DAMAGING THE PAINTWORK TRYING TO CREATE THE REQUIRED GAP |
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THE RUBBING DOWN BEGINS. TRUST ME ON THIS USE LOTS AND LOTS OF PANEL WIPE
ONCE THE RUBBING DOWN IS DONE. THE SHELL HAS WAX ON IT FROM WHEN IT WAS MOULDED
AND IF ANY REMAINS WHEN THE PAINT GOES ON THERE WILL BE "FISH EYES"
EVERYWHERE. SO CLEAN IT DOWN THOROUGHLY. |
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INSIDE VIEW SHOWING BRACE TO SUPPORT STEERING COLUMN. NOTE THE WHITE BUCKET
ON THE RIGHT, AN ESSENTIAL PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, WHERE ELSE CAN YOU SIT WHEN YOU
DRINK YOUR COFFEE. |
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THE PREPARED SHELL ALMOST READY FOR
PRIMER TO BE APPLIED. NOTICE THAT THE DOORS HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND ALSO THE
ENGINE LID/FIN IS OFF AT THE REAR, THESE
WILL ALL BE PAINTED SEPARATELY |
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THE SHELL WITH A GOOD COAT OF PRIMER. I USED A TWO PACK HIGH BUILD
ETCHING PRIMER ESPECIALLY FOR GRP THAT HAS AN EXCELLENT ADHESION QUALITY WHICH
WAS PERFECT FOR WHAT I WANTED. IT ALSO DRIES VERY FAST SO YOU CAN START
WORKING ON FLATTENING DOWN THE PRIMER IN LESS THAN AN HOUR AFTER APPLICATION. |
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THE FINAL STAGES OF RUBBING DOWN THE PRIMER
WITH WET & DRY. THEN THE WHOLE SHELL MUST BE CLEANED OFF WITH PANEL WIPE AND
TACK CLOTHS TO REMOVE ANY FIND DUST |
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AT LONG LAST THE SHELL HAS PAINT ON IT. AS YOU'VE PROBABLY NOTICED MY GARAGE
IS NOT VERY BIG SO THE ONLY THING I COULD DO IN ORDER TO PAINT THE CAR MYSELF
WAS TO OPEN THE GARAGE DOOR AND PUSH THE SHELL OUT IN THE BACK LANE... YES MY
CAR WAS PAINTED OUTSIDE THEN ROLLED BACK IN ONCE IT WAS FINISHED.
I COULD OF PAID SOMEONE TO DO THE SPRAYING FOR ME BUT I WANTED TO TRY IT MYSELF,
IT'S MY SECOND EVER SPRAY JOB THE OTHER TIME WAS MY PARTNERS MINI ALSO DONE
OUTSIDE . . . . . .YOU CAN'T BEAT THE GREAT OUTDOORS. |
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ALWAYS REMEMBER COVIN 1ST RULE. "IF IT CAN GO
WRONG, IT WILL GO WRONG" REMEMBER ME TELLING YOU ABOUT THE WAX THAT'S ON THE SHELL ? WELL, I
CLEANED MY SHELL SEVERAL TIMES WITH PANEL WIPE BUT THE BONNET STILL GOT FISH EYES IN IT. SO THIS
PICTURE IS THE BONNET BEING PAINTED AGAIN "INDOORS THIS TIME" |
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NOW THE BLACK HAS BEEN APPLIED AND ALL MASKING TAPE REMOVED. THE PAINTWORK
SHOULD NOW BE LEFT TO FULLY DRY OFF FOR SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE MACHINE POLISHING TO GIVE IT THE FINAL
FINNISH. |
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THE MASKED OFF AREA TO THE RIGHT OF THE
BULKHEAD IS TO MARK OUT THE HOLES TO FIT THE FUSE BOX AS IT'S TIME TO START
INSTALLING THE HOME MADE WIRING LOOM.....SHOULD BE FUN |
